Kate227

Our family with two 6-year olds will be travelling to Ireland in July. We plan to spend 12 days. We're flying from the US into Dublin and staying in this city for 3 nights. We had considered taking a train to Killarney from Dublin and renting a car from this point. However, we've just been advised that taking this route will ensure we miss some of the best parts of Ireland. Now, we're thinking about driving from Dublin to either Cork City or Ardmore, spending two nights, and then driving on to Killarney for four nights. We will spend our last nights at Dromoland before flying back to the US from Shannon. I'd appreciate some advice on our itinerary, especially regarding Cork City and Ardmore. Which of these places might hold more appeal for children?
Thank you.

tod

Hi Kate,
You don't say whether the 6yr olds are girls or boys, but probably doesn't matter as most children are interested in aeroplanes. Even if they are a bit too young, the adults should get a kick out of the Flyingboat Museum in Foynes which is on the opposite bank of the Shannon River.
Here is the link so you can check it out - and also the link to my photos of the trip to Foynes. Maureen O'Hara is the patron of this museum.
www.flyingboatmuseum.com
http://tinyurl.com/mhb9eo

KK_Cat

Fota Island Wildlife Park is just outside Cork (near Cobh) and would definitely appeal to 6 year olds. Not sure about Cork itself. If it turns out to be a nice summer Ardmore (which is a seaside town) would be fabulous, but if it's raining that would make a big difference. There is always the beaches out near Old Head of Kinsale (again just outside Cork).

I agree with tod, I think they would like the Flyingboat Museum on your way back to Shannon.

I'm not sure which "best bits" you are going to miss by driving from Dublin to Cork unless you intend going off the motorway and taking an indirect route. Was there somewhere specific along that way that you had in mind?

Cowboy1968

Not sure if you can work that into your itinerary, but I'd think that Craggaunowen Pre-Historic park could be cool for kids.
http://www.craggaunowen.org/

Kate227

Thanks for the great ideas. I'll definitely look into the Flyingboat Museum. A travel rep recommended the drive from Dublin to Killarney by way of Cork or Ardmore. I guess he felt those areas were not to be missed. He suggested a 2-night stay at Hayfield Manor or The Cliff House. This is our first trip to Ireland and I welcome any suggestions.

Cowboy1968

I'm also not sure what your travel rep meant by his recommendation. If he thought it would be nice to take the coastal route via Wexford, Waterford, Cork to Killarney, you should know that the highway stays quite a bit from the coast most of the time. So it's not a driving experience as, for example, on the Pacific Coast Hwy where you see the sea almost all the time. You will need to venture from the major N roads to the seaside villages and towns for that. Which could become a time issue after a while.

If your travel rep meant that you will miss the inland or SE sights by going straight to Killarney he is obviously correct. One could think of beautiful towns like Kilkenny, the famous Rock of Cashel, Cahir castle, even Blarney, or the Wicklow mountains and Powerscourt near Dublin.
But you will have to decide for yourself if one-nighters at hotels or B&Bs is something you like to do with 2 young kids, or if you prefer to settle in Kerry and do day trips from a home base there.

You will always "miss some of the best parts", like the West with Connemara or the North. Ireland is too big to experience it in one or two trips. And your original plan will take you to a beautiful area that will keep you busy easily for a week.

If you do take the "coastal" route, though, you could also think about the famine ship in New Ross. That could be quite exciting for kids.
http://www.dunbrody.com/